Campanula plant named &#39; L.10.018&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘L.10.018’, characterized by its compact upright plant habit; dense and bushy plant form; vigorous growth habit; and large upright, white flowers.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

Campanula portenschlagiana Schult.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘L.10.018’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCampanula plant, botanically known as Campanula portenschlagianaSchult., commonly known as Dalmatian Bellflower and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name ‘L.10.018’.

The new Campanula cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Gert Jensen, in Marslev, Denmark.

The new Campanula originated from a selfing cross made in 2010 by theInventor between plants of the Campanula portenschlagiana Schult.variety ‘A.09.09’ (breeder reference, unpatented). The Inventor selectedthe new Campanula cultivar from the progeny of the above crossing in2011 on the basis of its very compact, upright growth, with low need forretardation and fungicides and distinctive flowering habit.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula cultivar has demonstrated thatthe combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the newcultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘L.10.018’, which in combinationdistinguish this Campanula as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   1. Smaller, white, single bell flowers with reflexing lobes;-   2. High numbers of flowers per plant;-   3. Dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to more, shorter upright    stems;-   4. Compact plant habit due to shorter stems, and peduncles;-   5. Less need for growth retardant.

Plants of the cultivar ‘L 10.018’ can be compared to plants of theCampanula portenschlagiana Schult. cultivar ‘White Get Mee’ (breederreference, unpatented). However, in side-by-side comparisons conductedby the Inventor in Marslev, Denmark, plants of the cultivar L.10.018 andthe cultivar ‘White Get Mee’ differ in the following characteristics, itmust however be mentioned that the new cultivar plant examined has notbeen treated with growth retardant.

-   1. Plants of the new Campanula have white, single bell, upright    flowers-   2. Plants of the new Campanula have more compact upright growth than    plants of the cultivar ‘White Get Mee’.-   3. Plants of the new Campanula do not need growth retardant or    cooling treatment.-   4. Plants of the new Campanula have a one to two week shorter    production period than the plants of the cultivar ‘White Get Mee’.-   5. Plants of the new Campanula have smaller leaves with shorter    petioles and thus less conspicuous foliage when flowering.-   6. Plants of the new Campanula have smaller flowers and shorter    peduncles than the plants of the cultivar ‘White Get Mee’.-   7. Plants of the new Campanula appears to be less susceptible to    grey mould

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Campanula ‘L.10.018’ showing the colors as true as is reasonablypossible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color value cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of‘L.10.018’.

FIG. 1 shows a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘L.10.018’ compared to a typical flowering plant ‘White Get Mee’ grownin 10 cm pots.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of typical single flowers of ‘L.10.018’along with typical single flowers of ‘White Get Mee’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Campanula ‘L.10.018’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, andday length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition, where general termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants were grown undergreenhouse conditions with an average day temperature of 18-20° C., anaverage night temperature of 16° C., ambient (80 watt) light level, and7 weeks of long day treatments (18 hrs). Plants used for thisdescription were grown for about 14 weeks after cutting.

-   Botanical classification: Campanula portenschlagiana Schult cultivar    ‘L.10.018’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult, ‘A.09.09’.        -   Male parent.—Campanula portenschlagiana Schult, ‘A.09.09’.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings, from stock            plants maintained at short days.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21 C in            tunnels in a greenhouse.        -   Root description.—Fine, well branched.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial plant with an upright globular plant habit.            Campanulate flowers in racemes. Freely branching with            lateral branches forming at every node; dense and bushy.            Freely branching, somewhat brittle stems.        -   Crop time.—After rooting, about 14 weeks in long days are            required to produce finished flowering plants in 11 cm pots.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of plant plane).—About 8 cm.            Plant diameter 12 cm.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous growth rate.-   Foliage description: Leaves alternate, single, dentate, palmate    (actinodromus), not very conspicuous venation.    -   -   Basal leaves.—Length: 15-17 mm. Width: About 23 mm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: acuminate. Base: Cordate. Margin: broadly            crenate. Texture: smooth, glabrous, dull. Color: Young            foliage, upper and lower surfaces respectively: RHS 137B,            green and RHS N138C. Mature foliage, upper and lower            surfaces respectively: RHS 137A, and N138C, green. Venation,            RHS 138C.        -   Petioles.—on basal leaves: 2.5 cm on apical leaves 5-15 mm.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single flowers in racemes;            White, single campanulate flowers with small star shaped            calyx.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous throughout the spring            and summer in Denmark. Season can be extended by long day            treatments. 7 weeks (18 hour) are needed for flower            induction under greenhouse conditions.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity (9 to 14 days) of            individual flowers is highly dependent on temperature and            light conditions. Flowers persistent.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Color: RHS 155C, white Texture: with ridges            Shape: oblong Length: up to 6 mm long and Width: 5 mm before            anthesis.        -   Flowers.—Attitude: Upright, Length (height): About 12 mm.            Diameter: About 20 mm. Shape: Elliptic, rounded, reflexing.        -   Petal lobes.—Length: 8 mm Width: up to 5 mm.        -   Corolla tube.—Depth: 11 mm Width (at top): 10 mm Color:            Upper and lower surfaces, RHS 155C and D, white,            respectively. Withering to RHS 156A, grey white.-   Pistil and stigma: Conspicuously tripartite, same color as petals    Peduncle.    -   -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Length.—About 13 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 0.5 mm.        -   Color.—RHS 144C yellow-green.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Campanula have not been tested    for tolerance to draught, rain and wind, low temperature.-   Disease resistance: Plants of the new claimed variety have shown    good resistance to grey mould.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plantnamed ‘L.10.018’, as illustrated and described herein.